Picnic
by Kalira69
Summary: Shiro and Keith take their energetic puppy along for a springtime picnic. (Domestic AU; Written for Sheith Month, Day 3) Cats & Dogs, Living Together, #4


Written for Day 3 of Sheith Month: Sandwiches & Drinking.

* * *

"Don't you _dare_." Shiro said warningly, voice dropping low and dangerous.

Keith raised an eyebrow and glanced at him sideways. Shiro's voice was rather . . . intriguing, when he spoke like that, though it was unusual for his generally sweet-natured and calm lover.

Bopul didn't necessarily seem to agree, tucking his fluffy plume of a tail down and slinking closer to his masters' sides. He was the very _picture_ of a puppy who wouldn't have _dreamed_ of chasing off after the flicker of an animal moving in the underbrush nearby and was deeply aggrieved at having been scolded. Shiro smiled, reaching down to pat him approvingly, and his tail lifted again as he trotted on happily.

"Up there, do you think?" Keith nodded towards the crest of a gently-sloping hill, shifting his grip on the basket he carried and groaning quietly as he passed it to his other hand.

"Looks good to me." Shiro said with a smile, then tilted his head. "Do you want me to take that?" he asked.

"I've got it." Keith narrowed his eyes, taking half a step away. Shiro laughed, raising his hands in surrender. The right one moved slightly less smoothly. The prosthetic didn't seem to be bothering him today, but it had been a rough night and all of yesterday Shiro's arm and shoulder had ached so badly he'd been stressed and near-tears.

There was no need for him to take the basket - heavy though it was - from Keith _anyway_ , but he certainly had no intention of letting Shiro stress his body any further today when he was just coming down from a flare.

They reached the top of the hill with only a few more minutes of walking, finding a nice smooth spot half in the shade of a tree covered with furling new leaves. Shiro spread out the blanket he held and Keith settled the basket at one corner, then pulled the insulated pitcher out of it and weighted down another with that.

He tossed a ball from the depths of the basket to Shiro, who laughed and waved it to catch Bopul's attention, then threw it right back down the slope. Bopul barked, darted in a small circle as though his tail had distracted him, then took off in powerful bounds to chase the ball.

The puppy's current game and boundless energy in mind, next Keith dug out the dog dish and filled it with water, setting it up a few paces away from the blanket. Shiro shot him a grin, beckoning Bopul on as he ran back, ball firmly between his teeth. He dropped it after only a few moments of playful tugging and bounced on his front paws as Shiro held it up, teasing him.

Bopul barked, practically dancing in place, and Keith sad back on his heels as he watched them, grinning.

"Ball?" Shiro sounded almost as excited as the dog as he teased Bopul. Keith stifled laughter, shaking his head. Evidently not quite stifled enough, as Shiro suddenly glanced at him again, eyebrows raised.

Keith wrinkled his nose playfully and Shiro smiled, then turned back and threw the ball again. Keith began unpacking the food - sandwiches, fruit, the last of the cookies that Lance had brought to work to share swearing up and down his mother had made them when Keith was well aware he had himself.

Shiro wandered back and flopped onto the blanket beside Keith, stretching out as Bopul lapped eagerly at the water Keith had put out for him. Keith leaned over his lover and he smiled lazily, eyes soft.

"Drink, honey?" Keith suggested, and Shiro wrinkled his nose.

"In a minute." Shiro mumbled, shifting his shoulders and getting more comfortable.

Propping himself on one forearm, Keith brushed his fingers through Shiro's forelock, mussed and a little sweaty, then stroked his face. Shiro sighed, lashes fluttering as he closed his eyes, a tiny smile curving his lips.

Keith kissed his brow, fingers idly trailing up and down his arm and side. Bopul, still panting, paced over and sprawled out near Shiro's side, tail wagging slowly. Keith reached over and rubbed his head, and he raised it, tipping it backwards to push into Keith's hand, then giving a great sigh and settling his muzzle on Shiro's stomach, up against his ribs.

Shiro huffed a laugh, bouncing the puppy's head, and reached down blindly to scratch him behind one ear. Bopul whined happily, then yawned and put his head back down, legs twitching.

"Going to take a nap?" Keith asked, ruffling his fingers through Shiro's short hair again.

Shiro snorted, lips tugging almost into a pout. " _No_. . ." he said without opening his eyes. "Not on purpose, anyway."

"Sit up and have some food first, at least." Keith suggested, settling close against his side and kissing his cheek. "And sleep in the shade if you're going to."

Shiro was a little more prone to sunburns than Keith, who had bought his ease with the sun in weeks and months spent outside in the desert where he grew up. Waking up with one would rather spoil the relaxing afternoon they had planned.

Keith kissed Shiro's cheek again, then pulled away, only to be stopped by the warm brush of Shiro's right arm behind his neck, tugging him back down. He smiled and let Shiro pull him in for a kiss, soft and slow, nearly settling right onto Shiro's chest as he tugged Keith down a little more.

"Mm. . ." Shiro rubbed their noses together and Keith purred, tipping his head and teasing Shiro into another kiss.

They might have continued indulging in lazy kisses for a while longer if Bopul had not suddenly wedged his nose into the narrow space between their bodies, pushing at them with a low, friendly rumble. They broke apart with matching laughs, looking aside at the dog.

Bopul gave them a pitiful look as though he were a sadly neglected creature, and Keith slumped down again, resting his head on Shiro's chest as he giggled. Shiro's laughter thrummed under his ear, and Shiro extended a hand to dig into Bopul's fur, scratching and stroking and turning him to a happily wriggling puddle.

Keith hummed, then sighed, and pushed himself back up to a sitting position, fingers trailing over Shiro's chest as he pulled away. He rummaged in the clutter of the picnic he'd already unpacked and picked up one of the wrapped sandwiches. "Lunch?" he asked, waggling it in Shiro's direction.

"Hm. Yes." Shiro agreed, sitting up and patting Bopul again. "More play later." he told the dog, accepting the sandwich. Bopul yawned and put his head on his paws, watching with an intent look as Keith opened a container of fruit.

He whistled and Bopul's ears tilted forwards eagerly as his head jerked up. Keith bit off half a strawberry, then tossed the other half to the dog as he chewed. Bopul lunged up and forwards - although fortunately not far enough to take him over Shiro's lap - and caught the treat with a click of teeth, chomping it down happily.

Backing up a step and sitting down again, he looked expectantly at Keith. He smiled, but shook his head and reached for the pitcher of cold peach tea to pour a couple of glasses, tossing no more treats to Bopul. At least not for the moment.

"Honey?" Keith murmured, brushing the back of Shiro's wrist with the cold glass of tea. Shiro drained half his glass of tea in one go and Keith refilled it, then turned back to the basket and dug out a bottle of water as well, passing it over before taking another sandwich for himself.

Shiro smiled at him, and Keith settled closer to his lover - just close enough for their knees and thighs to brush, without getting in each others' elbow room as they ate.

* * *

I have ideas (and partially-drafted stories) for this 'verse tucked away in my files, but it still stings a bit to write in it, unfortunately. Hopefully I'll come back properly at some point.


End file.
